The project to be installed in Scottish waters is currently at an advanced planning stage
Ørsted acquires 80% stake in the Salamander floating offshore wind development project in Scotland. (Credit: Simply Blue Group)
Ørsted has acquired an 80% stake in the 100MW Salamander floating offshore wind development project off the east coast of Scotland for an undisclosed price.
The Danish energy company has entered into a joint venture (JV) established by Simply Blue Group, an Irish floating offshore wind developer, and Subsea 7.
According to the parties, Subsea 7 will be a minority JV partner.
The innovative and latest technologies to be deployed by the Salamander project will support a reduction in costs as well as provide the learning journey required for the commercial deployment of floating offshore wind, said Ørsted.
Ørsted group deputy CEO and chief commercial officer Martin Neubert said: “I’m pleased that we have agreed with Simply Blue to become a partner on this promising project which further expands Ørsted’s engagement in floating offshore wind and will provide a lot of learnings that we can apply on Scotwind and other floating wind projects as the technology transitions from demo projects to utility scale.
“Ørsted has been driving the commercialisation of bottom-fixed offshore wind for 30 years, and during the next decade we want to help make floating offshore wind similarly successful through projects such as this one.”
The Salamander floating offshore wind project is currently at an advanced planning stage. It is planned to progress within the innovation route of Crown Estate Scotland’s upcoming Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas (INTOG) leasing round later this year.
Successful projects in the leasing round are expected to be awarded exclusivity agreements in autumn 2022, while option agreements are likely to be signed in autumn 2023.
Simply Blue Group CEO Sam Roch-Perks said: “As a leading floating wind developer, Simply Blue Group wants to contribute to the development of the Scottish Offshore wind market and its supply chain.
“Scotland is one of the best locations on the planet for the development of floating wind projects and we look forward to the collaboration with Ørsted on this exciting and important project.”
In November 2021, Simply Blue Group sold a 51% stake to Shell in the Western Star floating wind project, located off the western coast of Ireland.